UPDATES - NEW STUFF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

In my last post I mentioned that I had just purchased a Sigma DP1s that has just been released to the market. Don Ellis informed me that Version 5.6 of Adobe Camera Raw, I had not yet installed, had support for this odd camera with a Foveon 3 sensor chip - that’s fast and indicates Sigma’s use of the Foveon is catching on even in a camera design that is not the usual but with a fixed focal length lens. I tried using Adobe Camera Raw with some DP1s files and had to agree with Don Ellis, that like most 3rd party convertors, it falls short of the camera manufacturer’s software.. But that does not fully satisfy me so I went to Lasersoft and they were interested in providing support for the camera with their SilverFast DC and HDR, so I did what I could to help them with the project.

Of course the dominating news was the Steve Jobs presentation of Apple’s new iPad. Another “tablet” and this time hopefully a fully successful small, portable and very affordable combination of computer and internet media device with WiFi and cell connectivity. What just one commentator suggested is the iPad’s potential for students is it’s a real learning device including book reading capacity that goes way beyond what some have attempted to do for children and students with cheap, small laptops. Now the question is will the education establishment get on board and help students use this new access to the world of knowledge to learn and expand their curiosity beyond social networking.

Of course you may have heard Google is trying to move ahead with scanning and digitizing the books of the world’s libraries with much opposition, fair and unfair. But lets all hope the information in the serious world becomes more accessible. But that is just a part of it because a lot of people with skills and knowledge to share have not learned the ePub standard is readily accessible, for instance simply using the Adobe Acrobat PDF-A format, so everyone can become an author if they have something to contribute. What have you learned in a lifetime of living?

NEC MAKES ANOTHER LARGER PA-SERIES DISPLAY AVAILABLE

NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announces the new MultiSync PA Series, successor to the critically acclaimed MultiSync 90 Series, by introducing the MultiSync PA241W. Designed for professional graphics applications, this 24-inch desktop display is ideal for digital photography, video editing, print production and any environment in which color accuracy is crucial.

The PA241W continues the MultiSync 90 Series’ tradition of delivering crisp, accurate images while adding improved color coverage, sleeker industrial design and enhanced connectivity. The display features 102 percent coverage of NTSC and 99.3 percent of Adobe RGB, an increase from 72 percent in the MultiSync LCD2490WUXi. With a 38 percent smaller footprint size, the display provides users with more desktop space and decreased costs in shipping and storage. Improved cable management enables simpler setup of the monitor, while its new 10-bit DisplayPort and USB hub add to an already diverse set of input connectors.

“NEC’s MultiSync PA Series is a flagship desktop monitor family that carries market leadership in the color, medical and professional industries,” said Art Marshall, Product Manager at NEC Display Solutions. “The MultiSync PA241W, the first model in this series, focuses on both workflow productivity and color accuracy, with the aim to improve upon the success of the MultiSync 90 Series. Users that require a reliable display for color precision will want to take advantage of the sophisticated technologies used in the MultiSync PA Series, starting with the PA241W.”

Below is a partial list of features included in the MultiSync PA241W: . 1920 x 1200 native resolution in 16:10 aspect ratio . 10-bit IPS LCD panel with 14-bit lookup table, which increases color depth to more than one-billion possible colors . 360 cd/m brightness . 1000:1 contrast ratio . 102 percent coverage of NTSC and 99.3 percent coverage of Adobe RGB . Improved connectivity with 10-bit DisplayPort, DVI-D with HDCP and USB hub . Improved cable management and smaller stand size . Ergonomic stand with tilt, swivel, height-adjust and pivot . DisplaySync Pro, which controls two computers with only one keyboard and mouse . 3D lookup table, which enables accurate representation of hard-to-match color spaces . ICC profile emulation, which loads ICC color profiles to accurately support manufacturer color spaces . Color Vision Emulation, which allows a quick preview of colors that emulate color vision problems . Ambient light sensor and automatic backlight adjustment for use in any lighting condition . Carbon footprint meter, which allows users to easily track carbon savings

The MultiSync PA241W is available for shipment with an estimated street price of $1,079 and ships with a 4-year parts and labor warranty, including the backlight. Additional models in the MultiSync PA Series will be announced throughout 2010, including models with the award-winning SpectraView 2 Color Calibration Solution.

EIZO HAS A NEW LCD DISPLAY, AND I WANT ONE

Quite a few months ago I tested and reported on an Eizo ColorEdge display that was ideal in every way except it was far beyond my budget. Now they have a Flexscan model S2243W that has all the essential features a serious digital photographers needs, and should sell for well under a $1,000. But I have not been able to find one yet at any of the web dealers I frequent.

Here are some particulars: This 22" monitor for home office, business, CAD, and digital photography presents a cost- and space-saving alternative to 24.1" monitors by offering the same 1920 1200 resolution in 10% less desk space. This is a fine screen resolution that has been missing since the high-end 20.1 inch LCD displays were discontinued. It also comes with three inputs including DisplayPort. * 1920 1200 native resolution * 1200:1 contrast ratio * 350 cd/m2 brightness * Digital/analog inputs

Wide Color Gamut Color reproduction area of this monitor reproduces 95% of the Adobe RGB color space. This means it can display most colors of a photograph taken in a camera's Adobe RGB mode including many shades of cyan and emerald green that fall outside the color gamut of typical sRGB monitors.

Simple Color Matching with EIZO EasyPIX: EIZO easyPIX image, The optional EIZO EasyPIX color matching tool is ideal for digital SLR camera users looking to match colors between their monitors and photo prints. With the EasyPIX software you can match the monitor’s color and brightness with that of the photo paper and then create a monitor profile with the bundled EX1 color sensor. No expertise in color management is required and the profile can be shared with image retouching software to ensure accurate results when printing.

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